Critical Analysis of Elizabeth I

Critical Analysis of Elizabeth I Introduction This paper presents a critical analysis of the movie â€Å"Elizabeth I â€Å"produced by Shekhar Kapur, 1998 in UK (Kapur 2005). The film is also known as â€Å"The Virgin Queen†. It is imperative to note that the movie portrays the early years and reign of Queen Elizabeth I (Kapur 2005).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Critical Analysis of Elizabeth I specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The author of this movie portrays the Queen as a character who has remarkable skills in leadership. On that note, this paper will examine how effective leadership has been portrayed in the movie. Through a careful review of literature and reflection from the movie, this paper will also seek to portray how a chosen leader should demonstrate effective leadership. A critical analysis of the movie The film â€Å"Elizabeth I† is visually interesting as it unfolds by portraying the creation of the Virgin Queen. T his makes the movie to appear more fictitious rather than one that highlights the history of Queen Elizabeth (Schumann 2012, p. 24). In the movie, the events began in 1554 during the reign of Elizabeth’s half sister. It commences by exhibiting excellent performance whereby Elizabeth is portrayed as a real woman ready to face impending challenges to establish her reign. Notably, the author develops other characters such as William Cecil and Francis who were the Queen’s main protectors (Schumann 2012, p. 30). These characters help her to struggle to power. Notably, the author of the film uses other characters to enhance historical accuracy and, to develop themes such as romance and melodrama within the scene (Kapur 2005). As the plot develops, the author portrays huge divisions that existed in the 16th century in Europe (Gillett 1999, p. 2). These divisions result due to religious differences and wealth. Therefore, Queen Elizabeth is being portrayed as a pragmatic leader due to her performance regardless of the religious and political divisions. As a ruler, she faces numerous challenges including a chronic coup plotted to overthrow her reign. It is important to note that the movie depicts dramatization of how the Queen succession took place and also captures the adventures that occurred some years after her reign (Schumann 2012, p. 34). Several years after her reign, the Catholics and Protestants were in conflict, a factor that made the Queen to be excommunicated. At this time, she allows Judaism though it was outlawed by the realm where the largest proportion of the population England was Catholics (Gillett 1999, p. 13). It is evident that the conflicts marked a turning point for the Queen where she tireless influenced the Roman Catholic leaders to allow religious settlement (Kapur 2005). From this point, one can argue that the Queen was very liberal and opposed religious prejudices.Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's s ee if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Still in the scene, the issue of marriage has been addressed. Notably, most individuals perceive it as a preoccupation for success (Schumann 2012, p. 34). In the movie, the Queen deals with numerous marriage proposals though she fall in deep dilemmas on whom to be in love with. For instance, she could not get married to a foreigner since she would end up handing over her country’s rule to the foreigner (Kapur 2005). She even feared that if she got a local lover as her husband, he might have turned into a de facto king (Gillett 1999, p. 17). Therefore, she declined the issue and kept it to herself. She claimed that she was married to England (Kapur 2005). Notably, one can deduce that the Queen is a determined public servant who is boundless dedicated to serve her country. Needless to say, the movie has its legacy on the art and flexible development of politics and religion (Schumann 2012, 40). The reign of the Queen was engulfed by tremendous changes such as rise of new social class, conformity to state and religion. Nevertheless, the Queen emerges as a complex person, an individual with high level of intelligence that scholars could regard as a ruler in post modern monarch (Schumann, 2012, 50). A critical analysis of effective leadership as portrayed in the movie Gutted (2011, p. 27) argues that effective leadership begins with self-leadership. This implies that before any leader can think of leading a thriving enterprise, he must first possess and master self-leadership skills. Subtly, self-leadership employs premeditated plans in advance to ensure that the right action takes place at the desired time. Notably, some leaders are more naturally disciplined than others (Gutted 2011, p. 27). For this reason, there are those that struggle to boost their effectiveness in order to promote their professional will. Needless to say, self-discipline refers to the ability to contro l your time, resources, thoughts and emotions in such a way that you remain focused on the targeted goal. Hence, effective leadership is crucial in enhancing that leaders achieve the desired ends (Gutted 2011, p. 28). In line with this, is imperative to note that there are numerous ways can be used to assess the effectiveness of leadership portrayed by a chosen leader. For instance, one can evaluate the cognitive abilities of a leader to determine whether they can make a good leader (DuBrin 2010, p. 71). It is evident from the movie that the Queen was an effective leader. This claim can be supported by the fact that she is able to think and act rationally for the good of her country. For instance, she stands against religious conflicts and appeal to the Catholic Bishops to allow religious freedom in England (Gillett 1999, 12). On the other hand, personality can be used to assess whether a leader is effective. It is imperative to note that a leader should be impartial yet flexible (D uBrin 2010, p. 106). For instance, the Queen is able to silence her opponents though we find that she have got advisors.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Critical Analysis of Elizabeth I specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Needless to say, an effective leader can be determined by his or her passion to perform a particular task and the flow of experience (DuBrin 2010, p. 141). Notably, one can deduce that the Queen had a passion to serve the country and had a good flow of experiences. For example, she declines getting married to both foreigners and local lovers in order to protect her country. Moreover, as the film ends, it sets a legacy on the Queens ability to safeguard the monarch to an extent that it can be considered as one of the post-modern (Gillett 1999, p. 14). That notwithstanding, the Queen demonstrates her ability to desert traditional thinking and employs creative strategies for the good of her country. Con sequently, she breaks the culture that certain religious doctrines are unacceptable in the realm. Therefore, it is arguable that she has passed the test as an effective leader. It is imperative to note that there are several attributes that one can learn from the movie on effective leadership. For instance, when considering whether leadership is effective or not, it is important to recognize who holds the power. For example, Queen Elizabeth was born in power. Moreover, during her time, the society she grew in upheld traditional values including monarch (Kapur 2005). Therefore, once she reigned into power, she modeled the impending values perfectly. In fact the film had demonstrated her ability and commitment to execute duties while upholding traditional values. It is definite that she successfully follows the rulebook with sober personality a factor that makes her to beat all odds. Succinctly, it is arguable that an effective leader should possess a sober personality (Willets 2011, p. 5). Moreover, effective leaders should have virtues that will enable them to interact with the subjects. These virtues include courage, wit, truthfulness, right ambition and good temper (DuBrin 2010, p. 173). In the movie, the queen is able to interact well with her protectors and other colleagues in parliament. After her reign to power in England she emerges as a mediavel Godfather who understands the nature of her power (Kapur 2005). She uses political machinations to bring everything in control regardless of few restrictions which engulfed her. As a leader, she finds herself trapped between religious conflicts among Protestants and Catholics (Schumann 2012, p. 30). Nevertheless through her wit and support from the council member she is able to solve impending conflicts. From this analysis if is essential that effective leaders should be gentle but hardy in order to achieve stability. This will also help them to exert authority effectively and become self-imposed. That notwiths tanding, it is essential to note that the Queen possess practical wisdom that enables her to effectively reign and enhance the wellbeing of her people regardless of challenges (Kapur 2005). Inline with this, effective leaders should have moderate temperance in order to ensure that they take reasonable risk for the good of the subjects.Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, integrity is a virtue that builds trust and encourages people to consider ones leadership as legitimate (Willets 2011, p. 5). In line with this, it is imperative to note that virtues, values, morals are the sum total of an effective leader. Nevertheless, scholars argue that these aspects often remain elusive since cannot be defined but they can be demonstrated (Willets 2011, p. 5). In addition, it is essential to emphasize that competence and commitment are key ingredients that make a leader effective. For instance, competence determines what a leader can do. Contrastingly, commitment determines what an individual wants to do. Furthermore, combination of the two concepts influences the effectiveness of a leader. Needless to say, character or personality is also a key element and plays a central role in influencing leadership (DuBrin 2010, 202). Researchers argue that character influences what leaders reinforce, notice or value in the immediate environment (Willets 2011, p. 5). Moreover, character is crucial in making effective decisions. Research has shown that most mistakes committed by leaders have their roots on poor character development. Nevertheless, it is apparent that there is no perfect leader when it comes to character development (Pater 2011, 58). Evidence can be derived from the fact that majority of them end up making inappropriate decisions probably due to overconfidence. Some aspects in their characters bide their minds to an extent that they fail to consider important contextual variables. In this case, they are led by emotions that hijack their selfs of common traits include extroversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness and openness to experience (DuBrin 2010, p. 302). Notably, out of the five major domains there are other traits that are worth consideration. These include perfectionism, dominance, rigidity, impulsivity and persistence. Research has shown that all effective leaders have their own personal style of execu ting their roles in leadership (Endersbe, Wortmann Therrien 2012, p.8). Nevertheless, there are specific aspects which they share. For instance, effective leaders have commitments geared toward making their roles effective. This implies that they use the aspect to enhance teamwork, increase productivity and build cohesiveness in their respective areas. According to Endersbe, Wortmann and Therrien (2012, p. 8), commitment in effective leadership entails three components namely clarity, rhythm and stability. According to Pater (2011, p. 58), leaders hold certain values or belief which they find essential to enhance their leadership. Research has shown that such values influence decisions and individual’s behavior. Common values that act as a guidelines in the movie include harmony, equality, non-violence and freedom. It is notable that the Queen is interested and determined to see people living in harmony regardless of their individual differences. She fights against religious violence to ensure that every individual has equal chances to determine their fate without being prejudiced. Moreover, these values influence the queen’s emotion and her behavior towards numerous aspects such as religion, politics and social life as depicted in the scene (Schumann 2012, p. 25). It is notable that as a leader, there are certain times when events take place unintentionally or unexpectedly. For this reason, a leader should employ effective leadership style to deal with uncertainties (Pater 2011, 58). As a matter of fact, the movie portrays how leadership can influence people’s reactions. In the movie, the Queen represents the establishment of aspects that were perceived as dignified, old fashioned and preserved. Nevertheless, the author uses her wit to establish significant changes in the society such as Judaism that was regarded as offensive by the realm in England. In this case, the Queen emerges as a leader who represents freedom and modernization. In a shift of focus, leadership style is an important factor to consider while assessing the effectiveness of a leader. Most of the styles adopted by leaders reflect their altitudes and ability to contribute to change (Nielsen Daniels 2012, p. 383). It is imperative to note that certain styles of leadership also influence the level of motivation and commitments among leaders. In line with this, different situations require dissimilar styles of leadership in order to increase competence, productivity and the well-being of those who are being led. Notably, one of the common and most accepted styles of leadership is transformational type of leadership (Nielsen Daniels 2012, p. 383). One can argue that the Queen was a transformational leader who strived to transform her country. Additionally, an effective leader should be transformational and work towards positive change whenever deemed necessary. Research evidences have revealed that effective leaders using transformational style have high levels of commitment and motivation. Moreover, they are envisioned to elicit trust and loyalty to the subjects. This is evident from the movie whereby the Queen opts to remain a virgin to devote her loyalty to England (Schumann 2012, p. 37). Notably, by the time she was interacting with her lovers from the foreign country, she could have been influenced to change her mind. Nevertheless, she remained focused and motivated despite the fact that the men were noble and strong-willed to marry her. Another lesson that one can learn from the movie is the essence of encouraging dialogue and sharing information. An effective leader should be able to initiate dialogue and listen to constructive feedbacks from the subjects (Pace 2011, p. 64). Research has revealed that dialogue has intellectual stimulating effects and often leads to creative problem solving. From the film, the Queen is being advised by Walsingham on how to deal with her opponents. Consequently, the Queen takes ruthless ac tion to wipe out any form of opposition against her reign. He warns the queen that sometimes she should take unpalatable decisions which he refers to the â€Å"removal of head† (Schumann 2012, p. 30). In this case, the Queen does away with tedious political machinations and opt for lucrative strategies to wipe out her opponents. Nielsen and Daniels (2012, p. 383) point out that intelligence in leadership is displayed in the manner in which a leader depicts maturity in relationship skills. Intelligence emerges in the movie to be very important in leadership maturity because it aids the establishment of solutions to complex situations. Additionally, the aforementioned authors further describe intelligent leaders as those who influence others and inspire through their words, competences and actions. The article by Endersbe, Wortmann and Therrien (2012, p. 8) points out that intelligent leadership is key in modern society as it embraces core components that hold the society. Thes e include horizontal components and the vertical components. The authors of the article exemplify that the vertical element of intelligence is placeless, timeless, divine, sacred conscious and of high power. The horizontal element of intelligence embraces the understanding that leaders must be of service to human beings and everything else in the world. The best description that can be given to the leadership of Elizabeth as reflected in the movie is definitely placeless. From a careful review of literature, it is apparent that leaders’ behaviors influence the environment which they operate and the relationship they establish with their counterparts (Pace 2011, p. 65). In this case, leaders’ behavior affects effectiveness in the various roles being played. One can argue that the Queen had used classic styles of leadership behavior. This made her to be recognized as the Godfather of the medieval era. For instance, one can note that to some extent, the Queen was authorit ative though liberal. In this case, she retained her responsibility and authority. Needless to say, the fact that she was a protestant, she faced strict opposition by the Catholic nobles after ascending to power. Nevertheless, it is imperative to note that the nobles were horrified by the Queen’s reign in power to an extent that they began plotting against her (Schumann 2012, p. 44). However, the queen does not appear vulnerable but determined to hold power for good measure at all cost. In this case, the queen did not care about the magnitude of the public’s reaction to stop her opponents from ascending to power. She asserts her strength and authority to silence them. The ability of a leader to have great focus, articulate professionalism in his or her duties, and maintain high ethical orientation that generates both local and international preference act as some of the most important traits for an all time leader. Perhaps, the best description that can be used for Que en Elizabeth is that of a leader who lived well beyond her time due to her peculiar view points and leadership skills that have increasingly become the driving force to many. While the notion of democracy by most leaders has often been considered indifferent in the public realms, the depiction of high democratic ideals by Queen Elizabeth in the movie is quite moving. To rhyme with modern scholars’ consideration of Queen Elizabeth, Pace (2011, p. 64) cites her ability to maintain a clear future focus that facilitated his ability to transcend from level to another. From a leader’s perspective, Queen Elizabeth was perhaps one of the best learners, a consideration that greatly facilitated her ability to curve new leadership trends. As Schumann (2012, p. 44) indicates, situational leadership requires highly sensitive people who can relate the existing trend with the core demands in the society. A leader should be able to demonstrate the ability to assimilate change and cont inued improvement. According to Pace (2011, p. 64), leaders should be able to see and create visionary outsets that can effectively guide their subjects for the sake of sustainability. As reflected in the movie, leaders also need to express willingness to take key responsibilities. One of the greatest considerations that 21st century leaders can learn from Queen Elizabeth’s operations is her willingness and ability to take responsibilities. This was depicted by her devotion to achieve desired results for every citizen. Besides, she was persistent in search for ethics. According to ethical theories, a leader must be able to pursue what is good even when the chances of winning are very slim. Queen Elizabeth also demonstrated immense levels of cooperation and support for unity of purpose. In her leadership, she indicated that the need for cooperation and unity is very critical in achieving goals. During her leadership as presented in the movie, her roles yielded successes which were only possible through cooperation with other people. The important lesson here is that the ability of a leader is to be endowed with great focus, articulate in terms of effective leadership skills and also the ability to maintain high ethical orientation. In summing up, it is imperative to note that another classic style that makes a leader effective is the democratic aspect that enables one to delegate duties while retaining much of the authority (Rus, van Knippenberg Wisse 2010, p. 992). Research reveals that democracy in leadership promotes collective participation. According to Nahavandi (2006, p. 57), democracy in leadership fosters effective decision making skills. In most cases, this allows downward and upward flow of communication. From the movie, it is notable that the Queen had master spies who were her advisors. In this case, she could delegate certain activities to Walsingham and were done regardless of whether they were good or bad (Schumann 2012, p. 33). Neverthe less, it is important to note that past performance is likely to affect the effectiveness of the present and future leadership. In this case, an effective leader should employ traits that are likely to foster cohesiveness, responsibility and motivation (Pater 2011, 58). Case analysis table A brief explanation of the scene Leader characteristics and traits displayed in the film Internal and external environment Group member characteristics displayed Leader behavior and style The plot of the film begins by exhibiting excellent performance of Elizabeth I who is in a race to reign as a Queen in 1554. In the meantime, her half sister Mary is the current queen of England. In the scene, there are characters such as William Cecil and Francis, the Queen’s protector who assist her to ascend to power. In the meantime, there is a lot of romance and melodrama whereby suitors come to woo Elizabeth for marriage. Nevertheless, she declines the affairs for the welfare of her country, Eng land. Meanwhile, as the Queen steps into power, there emerge religious indifferences among the Catholic and Judaism dominations. Additionally, political challenges also ensue whereby some activists plot to overthrow the Queen of England. Nevertheless, the Queen beats all odds and emerge successful by putting off the political and religious insurgencies Passionate Self-confident Determined Witty Ambitious Gentle Even-tempered Competent Hardy As a woman, she is faced by inner conflicts on whether to get married or remain a virgin. In the scene, she gets into romantic relationship with numerous lovers though she declines the affairs shortly. Moreover, she feels that getting married to a foreigner is like selling her country to a stranger. In line with this, she fears that a domestic husband might turn out to be an aristocratic king. Therefore, she eventually decides to remain unmarried for the sake of her country. On the other hand, she faces numerous challenges in the political arena. Some activists plot to overthrow her government. Nevertheless, she is witty enough and her supporters help her to remain in power. The group of characters in the scene has been displayed as supportive, helpful and determined to help the Queen to have an easy time in her reigning period. For instance, Walsingham, Francis and William Cecil protect and advice the queen on matters related to power The Queen uses a pragmatic leadership style. In this case, her behavior is influenced by the nature of the case at hand. For this reason, she remains flexible and impartial. Moreover, her leadership style is situational since she takes measures depending on the nature of impending situations. Needless to say, her performance and behavior are influenced by the situations surrounding her at that time. Recommendations On analyzing the case in the film, the following is a list of recommendations that can be used to boost the level of leadership performance. One should evaluate the level of se lf-leadership in a leader. This should be determined by the nature of professional skills. One should also analyze the level of personal efficacy and discipline to determine the leader’s effectiveness. Notably, the major benchmark in the analysis determining one’s ability to control time, thought, emotions and other resources. It is also imperative to consider and analyze both the external and internal factors. In this case, one should analyze their benefits and how they are likely to influence leadership. Moreover, one should consider the source of power for any given leader. Understanding and critically analyzing the group members’ initiatives and their individual potential. Needless to say, one should identify and analyze the qualities and traits held by a particular leader. By so doing, it will give room for further improvement. One should also try to understand how certain virtues, values and morals affect leadership It is also vital to examine the professi onal will, goals and objectives of a leader. References DuBrin, J. 2010, Leadership: Research Findings, Practice, and Skills, Cengage Learning Inc., Mason. Endersbe, T. Wortmann, J. Therrien, J. 2012, ‘Three Commitments’, Leadership Excellence, Vol. 29 no 4, pp. 8-13. Gillett, K. 1999, Elizabeth: Too Much Fiction in This Historical Tale. Web. Gutted, G. 2011, ‘Great Leadership Starts with Leading an Organization of One’, Agency Sales, vol. 41 no. 11, pp. 27-29. Kapur, S. 2005, Elizabeth I. Web. Nahavandi, A. 2006, ‘The art and science of leadership’,Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Nielsen, K. Daniels, K. 2012, ‘Does shared and differentiated transformational leadership predict followers working conditions and well-being?’ Leadership Quarterly, vol. 23 no. 3, pp. 383-386. Pace, A. 2011, ‘Leading development solutions for todays leaders’, T + D, vol. 65 no.12, pp. 64-67. Pater, R. 2011, Ã¢â‚¬Ë œ12-Step Leadership’, Occupational Health Safety, vol. 80 no. 11, pp. 58-67. Rus, D., van Knippenberg, D. Wisse, B. 2010, ‘Leader power and leader self-serving behavior: The role of effective leadership beliefs and performance information’, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, vol. 46 no 6, pp. 922-932. Schumann, H. 2012, ‘Elizabeth Film and History’. Web. Willets, A. 2011, ‘How you can become a better leader’, Public Relations Tactics, vol.18 no10, pp. 6-8.

Traffic Light Project Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 14750 words

Traffic Light Project - Coursework Example 3.3.14 PCB board for Trafficl Light Controller No.2 Circuit.. 32 3.3.15 Traffic Light Controller Model (view no. 1) 32 3.3.16 Traffic Light Controller Model (view no. 2) 33 3.3.17 Traffic Light Controller Model (view no. 3) 33 4.3.1 Ambulance Safety Pass Traffic Light Simulation using Quick II Program. 37 4.3.2 System Block Diagram of Ambulance Safety Pass Traffic Light Controller.. 38 4.3.3 Circuit Diagram of Ambulance Safety Pass Traffic Light Controller.. 39 4.3.4 Insertion of limiting resistor between power supply and load... 40 4.3.5 Derivation of output voltage under no load and underload conditions.. 41 4.3.6 Traffic Lights Power Supply. 42 4.3.7 Power Supply Actual Circuit. 42 4.3.8 Recommended power supply for future projects.. 43 4.3.9 Remote Control Unit to activate and deactivateAmbulance Safety Pass traffic lights 43 4.3.10 Traffic Light LEDs........... 44 4.3.11 FAB Micro Controller 44 4.3.12 Actual circuits built for Ambulance Safety Pass Traffic Light Controller. 45 4.3.13 Model of road crossing and traffic lights... 46 4.3.14 FAB AF-20 Series Micro Controller.. 50 A.1 R-S Flip Flop... 52 A.2 Timing Diagram of the R-S Flip Flop.. 53 A.3 D Type Flip Flop. 54 A.4 D Flip Flop Symbol 54 A.5 Synchronization in a D type latch 55 A.6 Master-Slave D Type Flip Flop 56 A.7 D Type Flip Flop Finite State Machine.. 56 A.8 T Type Flip Flop Finite State Machine 57 A.9 J-K Type Flip Flop Finite State Machine 57 A.10 Edge-triggered D Type Flip Flop.. 58 A.11 Edge-triggered D Type Flip Flop with Preset and Clear.. 59 LIST OF TABLES 2.1 Basic Traffic Light Controller No. 1 Light Sequence. 8 3.1 Basic Traffic Light Controller No. 2 Light Sequence. 24 4.1 Ambulance Safety Pass Light...The third type of traffic light controller is for Ambulance Safe Pass Traffic Lights to allow safe passage of ambulances in both North/ South and East/ West directions. For this type of traffic light controller, a FAB intelligent micro controller unit is used to program the desired traffic light sequence that includes the ambulance safe pass sequence. The building blocks inside Johnson decade counters, astable multi-vibrator timers and the FAB micro controller such as logic circuits, flip flops, Karnaugh maps, truth tables and Boolean expressions are also presented in the Appendix section of the report. Traffic lights are an essential part of modern life, especially with the increasing number of vehicles that coincides with the increasing number of population. Traffic lights not only regulate traffic flow in the streets but more importantly prevent the occurrence of vehicular accidents. Roads without traffic lights are unimaginable. The traffic light controller is a sequential device that needs to be designed and programmed through multiple step procedures. A proper traffic light requires accurate timing, correct cycling through the states, and responds to outside outputs such as walk signals or ambulance safe passage. The objective of this report is to design and implement traffic light controllers for a simple North/ South and East/ West road crossing as shown in figure below.

Critical Issues Review #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Critical Issues Review #2 - Essay Example In identifying future strategy for imminent war, Clausewitz states that a determination of necessary resources will entail an examination of the political aims of both the potential warring states; the strength and nature of political aims and the abilities of government and people of both.2 It is also necessary to factor into this equation, the political sympathies of other states and the implications of war on the directly warring states as well as other states which may be affected by it, which in itself is a colossal task and thus requires flexibility in military planning and execution. Moltke;s views on war strategy were also in line with Clausewitz, in that he accepts the major role played by chance and uncertainty, and also the existence of a moral element in war which contributes towards victory. However, he differed from Clausewitz in his belief that politics and war cannot be mingled with each other; policy should not be the guiding force that influences military operations. In his view, â€Å"policy uses war for the attainment of its goals; it works decisively at the beginning and end of war† but where strategy is concerned, it â€Å"works best for the goals of policy, but in its actions is fully independent of policy.3 Thus, according to Moltke, while it is likely that policy decisions may set out the initial objectives of war, once war has been declared, political ends are to be achieved only through military means; battle becomes the single means for military and grand national strategy. Machiavelli recognizes the importance of adaptability, in view of its changing nature of war and offers the view that â€Å"he errs the least and will be most favored by fortune who suits his proceedings to the times† and illustrates this with the examples of Hannibal and Scipio.4 Machiavelli points out that the ability of

Terminator Wave Energy Devices

Terminator Wave Energy Devices 1.0 Executive Summary The offshore ocean wave energy resource, as a derivative form of solar energy, has considerable potential for making a significant contribution to the alternative usable energy supply.Wave power devices are generally categorized by the method used to capture the energy of the waves. They can also be categorized by location and power take-off system. The energy extraction methods or operating principles can be categorized into three main groups; (1) Oscillating water Column (OWC) (2) Overtopping Devices (OTD) (3) Wave Activated Bodies (WAB); Locations are shoreline, near shore and offshore. This report discusses about Terminator wave energy devices which extend perpendicular to the direction of wave travel and capture or reflect the power of the wave. These devices are typically onshore or near shore; however, floating versions have been designed for offshore applications. 2.0 Introduction Traditional sources of energy such as oil, gas, and coal are non-renewable. They also create pollution by releasing huge quantities of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere. In contrast, waves are a renewable source of energy that doesnt cause pollution. The energy from waves alone could supply the worlds electricity needs. The total power of waves breaking on the worlds coastlines is estimated at 2 to 3 million megawatts. In some locations, the wave energy density can average 65 megawatts per mile of coastline. The problem is how to harness wave energy efficiently and with minimal environmental, social, and economic impacts. Ocean waves are caused by the wind as it blows across the open expanse of water, the gravitational pull from the sun and moon, and changes in atmospheric pressure, earthquakes etc. Waves created by the wind are the most common waves and the waves relevant for most wave energy technology. Wave energy conversion takes advantage of the ocean waves caused primarily by the interaction of winds with the ocean surface. Wave energy is an irregular oscillating low-frequency energy source. They are a powerful source of energy, but are difficult to harness and convert into electricity in large quantities. The energy needs to be converted to a 60 or 50 Hertz frequency before it can be added to the electric utility grid. Part of the solar energy received by our planet is converted to wind energy through the differential heating of the earth. In turn part of the wind energy is transferred to the water surface, thereby forming waves. While the average solar energy depends on factors such as local climate and latitude, the amount of energy transferred to the waves and hence their resulting size depends on the wind speed, the duration of the winds and the duration over which it blows. The most energetic waves on earth happen to be between 30 degrees to 60 degrees latitude, in general the waves generated are stronger on the southern parts of the countries (John brook, ECOR). Wave power devices extract energy directly from the surface motion of ocean waves or from pressure fluctuations below the surface. Wave power varies considerably in different parts of the world, and wave energy cant be harnessed effectively everywhere. It has been estimated that if less than 0.1% of the renewable energy available within the oceans could be converted into electricity, it would satisfy the present world demand for energy more than five times over. A variety of technologies are available to capture the energy from waves. Wave technologies have been designed to be installed in near shore, offshore, and far offshore locations. Offshore systems are situated in deep water, typically of more than 40 meters (131 feet). Types of power take-off include: hydraulic ram, elastomeric hose pump, pump-to-shore, hydroelectric turbine, air turbine and linear electrical generator. Some of these designs incorporate parabolic reflectors as a means of increasing the wave energy at the point of capture. 3.0 Type of Wave Energy Converters Ocean waves represent a form of renewable energy created by wind currents passing over open water. Many devices are being developed for exploiting wave energy. The energy extraction methods or operating principles can be categorized into three main groups (Harris Robert E. et al.): Oscillating Water Columns (OWC) Waves cause the water column to rise and fall, which alternately compresses and depressurize an air column. The energy is extracted from the resulting oscillating air flow by using a Wells turbine Overtopping Devices (OTD) Ocean waves are elevated into a reservoir above the sea level, which store the water. The energy is extracted by using the difference in water level between the reservoir and the sea by using low head turbines Wave Activated Bodies (WAB) Waves activate the oscillatory motions of body parts of a device relative to each other, or of one body part relative to a fixed reference. Primarily heave, pitch and roll motions can be identified as oscillating motions whereby the energy is extracted from the relative motion of the bodies or from the motion of one body relative to its fixed reference by using typically hydraulic systems to compress oil, which is then used to drive a generator. The wave activated bodies (WABs) can be further categorized in sub-groups describing the energy extraction by the principle motion of the floating body (heave, pitch and roll). A variety of technologies have been proposed to capture the energy from waves based on above extraction methods; Some of the technologies that have been the target of recent developmental efforts and are appropriate for the offshore applications being considered are terminators, attenuators and point absorbers (U.S. Department of the Interior, May 2006). Figure 1: Schematic drawings of WEC devices for operating principles and principal locations(Harris Robert E. et al.) The many different types of wave energy converters (WECs) can be classified in to various ways depending on their horizontal size and orientation. If the size is very small compared to the typical wavelength the WEC is called a point absorber. In contrast if the size is comparable to or larger than the typical wavelength, the WEC is known as line absorber, this can also be referred to as terminator or attenuator. A WEC is called terminator or attenuator if it is aligned along or normal to the prevailing direction of the wave crest respectively (John brook, ECOR). The relationship between the three main classifications Principal Location Operating Principle Directional Characteristic: These classifications are shown in Figure 2, presenting the possible operating principles for the location and the directional characteristics. At the shoreline the only feasible operating principles are oscillating water columns and overtopping devices, which are terminators. Figure shows that at near shore and offshore, point absorber or attenuator devices can only be WABs, whilst for terminator devices all three categories of the operating principles are possible. OWCs and OTDs are ‘static’ energy converters of the terminator kind. As a result their mooring has to be stiff, restraining modes of motions but allowing for adjustment towards a parallel wave approach and for tidal ranges. The station keeping requirements for the mooring of wave activated bodies can be either static or dynamic. Figure 2: Possible operating principles for the principal location and directional characteristic 3.1 Attenuators Attenuators are long multi-segment floating structures oriented parallel to the direction of the wave travel. The differing heights of waves along the length of the device causes flexing where the segments connect, and this flexing is connected to hydraulic pumps or other converters (U.S. Department of the Interior, May 2006). 3.2 Point Absorbers Point absorbers have a small horizontal dimension compared with the vertical dimension and utilize the rise and fall of the wave height at a single point for WEC (Harris Robert E. et al.). It is relatively small compared to the wave length and is able to capture energy from a wave front greater than the physical dimension of the absorber (James, 2007). The efficiency of a terminator or attenuator device is linked to their principal axis being, according, parallel or orthogonal to the incoming wave crest. The point absorber does not have a principal wave direction and is able to capture energy from waves arriving from any direction. As a consequence the station keeping for the terminator and attenuator has to allow the unit to weathervane into the predominant wave direction, but this is not necessary for the point absorber (Harris Robert E. et al.). 3.3 Terminators A Terminator has its principal axis parallel to the incident wave crest and terminates the wave. These devices extend perpendicular to the direction of wave travel and capture or reflect the power of the wave. The reflected and transmitted waves determine the efficiency of the device (Harris Robert E. et al.). These devices are typically installed onshore or near shore; however, floating versions have been designed for offshore applications. (U.S. Department of the Interior, May 2006). There are mainly two types in Terminator WEC. 3.3.1 Oscillating Water Columns (OWC) The oscillating water column (OWC) is a form of terminator in which water enters through a subsurface opening into a chamber with air trapped above it. The wave action causes the captured water column to move up and down like a piston to force the air through an opening connected to a turbine (U.S. Department of the Interior May 2006). The device consists essentially of a floating or (more usually) bottom-fixed structure, whose upper part forms an air chamber and whose immersed part is open to the action of the sea. The reciprocating flow of air displaced by the inside free surface motion drives an air turbine mounted on the top of the structure. 3.3.1.1 Efficiency of Oscillating Water Column (OWC) The efficiency of oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy devices are particularly affected by flow oscillations basically for two reasons. (1) Because of intrinsically unsteady (reciprocating) flow of air displaced by the oscillating water free surface. (2) Because of increasing the air flow rate, above a limit depending on, and approximately proportional to, the rotational speed of the turbine, is known to give rise to a rapid drop in the aerodynamic efficiency and in the power output of the turbine. A method which has been proposed to partially circumvent this problem consists in controlling the pitch of the turbine rotor blades in order to prevent the instantaneous angle of incidence of the relative flow from exceeding the critical value above which severe stalling occurs at the rotor blades (see Gato and FalcaËÅ"o, 1991). Although considered technically feasible (Salter, 1993) this has never been implemented at full scale owing to mechanical difficulties. Alternately, the flow rate through the turbine can be prevented from becoming excessive by equipping the device with air valves. Two different schemes can be envisaged, in the first one, the valves are mounted between the chamber and the atmosphere in parallel with the turbine (by-pass or relief valves, on or near the roof of the air chamber structure) and are made to open (by active or passive control) in order to prevent the overpressure (or the under pressure) in the chamber to exceed a limit which is defined by the aerodynamic characteristics of the turbine at its instantaneous speed. In the second scheme a valve is mounted in series with the turbine in the duct connecting the chamber and the atmosphere. Excessive flow rate is prevented by partially closing the valve. In both schemes, the air flow through the turbine is controlled at the expense of energy dissipation at the valves. Theoretically the two methods, if properly implemented, are equivalent from the point of view of limiting the flow rate through the turbine. However, the resulting pressure changes in the chamber are different (reduction and increase in pressure oscillations in the first and second cases, respectively). Consequently the hydrodynamic process of energy extraction from the waves is differently modified by valve operation in the two control methods. The main purpose of this work is to analyse theoretically the performance of an OWC wave energy device when valves are used to limit the flow through the turbine. Both schemes are considered and compared: a valve (or a set of valves) mounted in parallel with the turbine (by-pass or relief valve) or a valve mounted in the turbine duct. The hydrodynamic analysis is done in the time domain for regular as well as for irregular waves. The spring-like effect due to the compressibility of the air is taken into account and is discussed in some detail. Realistic characteristics are assumed for the turbine. Numerical results are presented for simple two-dimensional chamber geometry for whose hydrodynamic coefficients analytical expressions are known as functions of wave frequency. 3.3.2 Overtopping Devices (OTD) Overtopping devices have reservoirs that are filled by impinging waves to levels above the average surrounding ocean. The released reservoir water is used to drive hydro turbines or other conversion devices. Overtopping devices have been designed and tested for both onshore and floating offshore applications. It gathers the energy by waves overtopping into a raised reservoir, and extracting this by draining the water through low head turbines. OTD consists of three main elements: Two wave reflectors. Attached to the central platform these act to focus the incoming waves. The main platform. This is a floating reservoir with a doubly curved ramp facing the incoming waves. The waves overtop the ramp which has a variable crest freeboard 1 to 4 m and underneath the platform open chambers operate as an air cushion maintaining the level of the reservoir. Hydro turbines. A set of low head turbines converts the hydraulic head in the reservoir (Tedd James et al., 2005) 3.3.2.1 Overtopping theory The theory for modeling overtopping devices varies greatly from the traditional linear systems approach used by most other WECs. A linear systems approach may be used with overtopping devices. This considers the water oscillating up and down the ramp as the excited body, and the crest of the ramp as a highly non-linear power take off system. However due to the non-linearities it is too computationally demanding to model usefully. Therefore a more physical approach is taken. Figure 4 shows the schematic of flows for the Wave Dragon. Depending on the current wave state (HS, Tp) and the crest freeboard Rc(height of the ramp crest above mean water level, MWL) of the device, water will overtop into the reservoir Qovertopping. The power gathered by the reservoir is a product of this overtopping flow, the crest freeboard and gravity. If the reservoir is over filled when a large volume is deposited in the basin there will be loss from it Qspill. To minimize this, the reservoir level h must be kept below its maximum level hR. The useful hydraulic power converted by the turbines is the product of turbine flow Qturbine, the head across them, water density and gravity (Tedd James et al., 2005). In coastal engineering the average flow Q is converted into non dimensional form by dividing by the breadth of the device b, gravity g and the significant wave height HS: In the case of the floating OTD it has been seen that there is a dependency on the wave period. The dominant physical explanation for this is the effect of energy passing beneath the draft of the structure. Figure 6 Layout of OTD 3.3.2.2 Wave Reflector Wings One of the most distinctive aspects of the Overtopping WEC is the long slender wings mounted to the front corners of the reservoir platform. These are designed to reflect the oncoming waves towards the ramp. A wider section of wave is available to be exploited with only a moderate increase in capital cost. The overtopping volume in a wave is very dependent on the wave height; therefore by providing only a moderate increase in height, much more energy can overtop the ramp. In order to choose the correct lengths, angles, and position of these wings extensive computer modelling is used. Secondary bonuses of the presence of the wave reflector wings include: better weather-vaning performance to face the waves, lower peak mooring forces, and improved horizontal stability of the main platform. As the aft and rear mooring attachment points are separated further, the yaw of the platform is more stable. Therefore the device will not turn away from the predominant wave direction, and will also realign itself faster as when the wave direction changes (Tedd James et al., 2005). Lastly the reflectors wings act as stabilisers to the device. As they float under their own buoyancy they counteract any list of the platform. This is important as the more horizontal the platform is kept the less water is spilt and so the more efficient the device operation. 3.3.2.3 Low Head Turbines and Power Train Turbine operating conditions in a WEC are quite different from the ones in a normal hydro power plant. In the OTD, the turbine head range is typically between 1.0 and 4.0 m, which is on the lower bounds of existing water turbine experience. While there are only slow and relatively small variations of flow and head in a river hydro power plant, the strong stochastic variations of the wave overtopping call for a radically different mode of operation in the OTD. The head, being a function of the significant wave height, is varying in a range as large as 1:4, and the discharge has to be regulated within time intervals as short as ten seconds in order to achieve a good efficiency of the energy exploitation (Tedd James et al., 2005). On an unmanned offshore device, the environmental conditions are much rougher, and routine maintenance work is much more difficult to perform. Special criteria for the choice and construction of water turbines for the WEC have to be followed; it is advisable to aim for constructional simplicity rather than maximum peak efficiency. Figure 6 shows the application ranges of the known turbine types in a graph of head H vs. rotational speed nq. The specific speed nq is a turbine parameter characterizing the relative speed of a turbine, thus giving an indication of the turbines power density. Evidently, all turbine types except the Pelton and the cross flow type are to be found in a relatively narrow band running diagonally across the graph. Transgressing the left or lower border means that the turbine will run too slowly, thus being unnecessarily large and expensive. The right or upper border is defined by technological limits, namely material strength and the danger of cavitations erosion. The Pelton and the cross-flow turbine do not quite follow these rules, as they have a runner which is running in air and is only partially loaded with a free jet of water. Thus, they have a lower specific speed and lower power density. Despite its simplicity and robustness, the cross flow turbine is not very suitable for OTD applications (Tedd James et al., 2005). Figure 7 Head range of the common turbine types, Voith and Ossberger 3.3.2.4 Performance in Storms Survivability is essential, and Overtopping devices are naturally adapted to perform well in storm situations, where the wave will pass over and under the device with no potential end-stop problems. 3.3.2.5 Wave Prediction Performance of almost all wave energy converters can be improved with prediction of the incoming waves. The cost to implement would be low as the control hardware is typically in place, only the measuring system and improved control techniques need to be developed. To explain the concept behind the device a simple example can be used. If a measurement of some wavelengths ahead of the wave energy converter shows large waves passing, then at a given time later this energy will be incident on the device. The control of the device can then be altered quickly to extract this larger energy, e.g. by increasing hydraulic resistance to an oscillator’s motion allowing more energy to be captured within the stroke length, or by draining the reservoir of an overtopping device to allow for a large overtopping volume(Tedd James et al., 2005). The challenges are threefold; to implement a system for measuring the waves approaching the ramp, to accurately transform this into usable input for the control systems, and to construct new control strategies to make the best use of this. The standard approach for performing such deterministic sea-state prediction involves discrete frequency domain techniques. This is computationally intensive, as the two Fourier transforms must be made to convert from the time domain to the frequency domain and return to the time domain. 3.4 Energy Capture and Practical Limits The power captured from waves by the primary mechanical conversion (before secondary conversion to electrical power) can be related to the energy in the incoming waves over a certain width. Theoretical values have been established in some cases. For a heaving axi-symmetric body the maximum capture width is the inverse of the wave number. The capture width is often compared to the front width of the device. This width ratio can be larger than one for a point absorber with small dimensions compared to the wavelength. Viscous effects reduce efficiency. For an OWC, Wang et al. (2002) found that the capture width ratio may reach a value of 3 and above at an optimum wave period. For Pelamis, Retlzler et al. (2001) found a capture width up to 2 in regular waves and around one in random seas (Specialist Committee V.4, 2006). A continuous or a semi discrete array of wave energy converters acting as an absorbing wall perpendicular to the wave direction is called a terminator and its capture width equals the width of the device and is not related to the length of the incident waves. As the wave conditions are stochastic, the tuning parameters of the energy converters are compromises between the optimum values at various sea conditions. The capture width must be established for each sea state. Fixed devices are subject to sea level variation according to tidal effects. This is critical for fixed oscillating water columns and fixed overtopping systems whose performances are dependent on the mean sea level. The intake of an OWC must be located at an optimised design level from the mean free surface. The height of an overtopping system is also optimised for sea states occurring at a given mean sea level. Therefore, sites with minimal tide are preferred. From this point of view floating devices are more suitable. The immersion of a floating device can also be tuned with respect to the actual sea state. For instance the Wave Dragon overtopping device is partially floating on air chambers and its draught can be modified (Specialist Committee V.4, 2006). The performance of the overtopping device is sensitive to the distribution of the overtopping rate. The more variable the overtopping flow into the reservoir, the larger the capacity of the reservoir and turbines must be to achieve the same performance. 4.0 Mooring Requirements The two major requirements for a WEC mooring are to withstand the environmental and other loadings involved in keeping the device on station, and to be sufficiently cost effective so that the overall economics of the device remain viable. The following list shows the requirements that need to be considered for WEC moorings systems (Harris Robert E. et al.): The primary purpose of the mooring system is to maintain the floating structure on station within specified tolerances under normal operating load and extreme storm load conditions. The excursion of the device must not permit tension loads in the electrical transmission cable(s) and should allow for suitable specified clearance distances between devices in multiple installations. The mooring system must be sufficiently compliant to the environmental loading to reduce the forces acting on anchors, mooring lines and the device itself to a minimum; unless the stiffness of the mooring itself is an active element in the wave energy conversion principle used. All components must have adequate strength, fatigue life and durability for the operational lifetime, and marine growth and corrosion need to be considered. A degree of redundancy is highly desirable for individual devices, and essential for schemes which link several devices together. The system as a whole should be capable of lasting for 30 years or more, with replacement of particular components at no less than 5 years. The mooring must be sufficient to accommodate the tidal range at the installation location. The mooring system should allow the removal of single devices without affecting the mooring of adjacent devices. Removal of mooring lines for inspection and maintenance must be possible. The mooring must be sufficiently stiff to allow berthing for inspection and maintenance purposes. Contact between mooring lines must be avoided. The mooring should not adversely affect the efficiency of the device, and if it is part of an active control system it must also be designed dynamically as part of the overall WEC system. Revenues from WECs, in comparison to the offshore industry, are smaller and their economics more strongly linked to the location, installation costs and down time periods. The mooring system has an important impact on the economics and it is necessary to provide, at low installation cost, a reliable system that has little downtime and long intervals between maintenance. The suitability of design approaches from the offshore industry for WECs are ranked in Appendix I (Harris Robert E. et al.). 5.0 Environmental Considerations Conversion of wave energy to electrical or other usable forms of energy is generally anticipated to have limited environmental impacts. However, as with any emerging technology, the nature and extent of environmental considerations remain uncertain. The impacts that would potentially occur are also very site specific, depending on physical and ecological factors that vary considerably for potential ocean sites. As large-scale prototypes and commercial facilities are developed, these factors can be expected to be more precisely defined (U.S. Department of the Interior, May 2006). The following environmental considerations require monitoring (U.S. Department of the Interior, May 2006). Visual appearance and noiseare device-specific, with considerable variability in visible freeboard height and noise generation above and below the water surface. Devices with OWCs and overtopping devices typically have the highest freeboard and are most visible. Offshore devices would require navigation hazard warning devices such as lights, sound signals, radar reflectors, and contrasting day marker painting. However, Coast Guard requirements only require that day markers be visible for 1 nautical mile (1.8 km), and thus offshore device markings would only be seen from shore on exceptionally clear days. The air being drawn in and expelled in OWC devices is likely to be the largest source of above-water noise. Some underwater noise would occur from devices with turbines, hydraulic pumps, and other moving parts. The frequency of the noise may also be a consideration in evaluating noise impacts. Reduction in wave height from wave energy converterscould be a consideration in some settings; however, the impact on wave characteristics would generally only be observed 1 to 2 km away from the WEC device in the direction of the wave travel. Thus there should not be a significant onshore impact if the devices were much more than this distance from the shore. None of the devices currently being developed would harvest a large portion of the wave energy, which would leave a relatively calm surface behind the devices. It is estimated that with current projections, a large wave energy facility with a maximum density of devices would cause the reduction in waves to be on the order of 10 to 15%, and this impact would rapidly dissipate within a few kilometers, but leave a slight lessening of waves in the overall vicinity. Little information is available on the impact on sediment transport or on biological communities from a reduction in wave height offshore. An isolated impact, such as reduced wave height for recreational surfers, could possibly result. Marine habitatcould be impacted positively or negatively depending on the nature of additional submerged surfaces, above-water platforms, and changes in the seafloor. Artificial above-water surfaces could provide habitat for seals and sea lions or nesting areas for birds. Underwater surfaces of WEC devices would provide substrates for various biological systems, which could be a positive or negative complement to existing natural habitats. With some WEC devices, it may be necessary to control the growth of marine organisms on some surfaces. Toxic releasesmay be of concern related to leaks or accidental spills of liquids used in systems with working hydraulic fluids. Any impacts could be minimized through the selection of nontoxic fluids and careful monitoring, with adequate spill response plans and secondary containment design features. Use of biocides to control growth of marine organisms may also be a source of toxic releases. Conflict with other sea space users, such as commercial shipping and fishing and recreational boating, can occur without the careful selection of sites for WEC devices. The impact can potentially be positive for recreational and commercial fisheries if the devices provide for additional biological habitats. Installation and Decommissioning: Disturbances from securing the devices to the ocean floor and installation of cables may have negative impacts on marine habitats. Potential decommissioning impacts are primarily related to disturbing marine habitats that have adapted to the presence of the wave energy structures. 6.0 Discussions A vast number of parameters influence (and interact with) the net power production from any WEC: Overtopping, determined by Free-board (adjustable in Wave Dragons) Actual wave height Physical dimension of the converter (ramps, reflectors etc. Outlet, determined by Size of reservoir Turbine design Turbine on/off strategy Mooring system, free or restricted orientation toward waves Size of the energy converter Wave climate Energy in wave front (kW/m) Distribution of wave heights Availability Theoretical availability; Reliability, maintainability, serviceab Terminator Wave Energy Devices Terminator Wave Energy Devices 1.0 Executive Summary The offshore ocean wave energy resource, as a derivative form of solar energy, has considerable potential for making a significant contribution to the alternative usable energy supply.Wave power devices are generally categorized by the method used to capture the energy of the waves. They can also be categorized by location and power take-off system. The energy extraction methods or operating principles can be categorized into three main groups; (1) Oscillating water Column (OWC) (2) Overtopping Devices (OTD) (3) Wave Activated Bodies (WAB); Locations are shoreline, near shore and offshore. This report discusses about Terminator wave energy devices which extend perpendicular to the direction of wave travel and capture or reflect the power of the wave. These devices are typically onshore or near shore; however, floating versions have been designed for offshore applications. 2.0 Introduction Traditional sources of energy such as oil, gas, and coal are non-renewable. They also create pollution by releasing huge quantities of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere. In contrast, waves are a renewable source of energy that doesnt cause pollution. The energy from waves alone could supply the worlds electricity needs. The total power of waves breaking on the worlds coastlines is estimated at 2 to 3 million megawatts. In some locations, the wave energy density can average 65 megawatts per mile of coastline. The problem is how to harness wave energy efficiently and with minimal environmental, social, and economic impacts. Ocean waves are caused by the wind as it blows across the open expanse of water, the gravitational pull from the sun and moon, and changes in atmospheric pressure, earthquakes etc. Waves created by the wind are the most common waves and the waves relevant for most wave energy technology. Wave energy conversion takes advantage of the ocean waves caused primarily by the interaction of winds with the ocean surface. Wave energy is an irregular oscillating low-frequency energy source. They are a powerful source of energy, but are difficult to harness and convert into electricity in large quantities. The energy needs to be converted to a 60 or 50 Hertz frequency before it can be added to the electric utility grid. Part of the solar energy received by our planet is converted to wind energy through the differential heating of the earth. In turn part of the wind energy is transferred to the water surface, thereby forming waves. While the average solar energy depends on factors such as local climate and latitude, the amount of energy transferred to the waves and hence their resulting size depends on the wind speed, the duration of the winds and the duration over which it blows. The most energetic waves on earth happen to be between 30 degrees to 60 degrees latitude, in general the waves generated are stronger on the southern parts of the countries (John brook, ECOR). Wave power devices extract energy directly from the surface motion of ocean waves or from pressure fluctuations below the surface. Wave power varies considerably in different parts of the world, and wave energy cant be harnessed effectively everywhere. It has been estimated that if less than 0.1% of the renewable energy available within the oceans could be converted into electricity, it would satisfy the present world demand for energy more than five times over. A variety of technologies are available to capture the energy from waves. Wave technologies have been designed to be installed in near shore, offshore, and far offshore locations. Offshore systems are situated in deep water, typically of more than 40 meters (131 feet). Types of power take-off include: hydraulic ram, elastomeric hose pump, pump-to-shore, hydroelectric turbine, air turbine and linear electrical generator. Some of these designs incorporate parabolic reflectors as a means of increasing the wave energy at the point of capture. 3.0 Type of Wave Energy Converters Ocean waves represent a form of renewable energy created by wind currents passing over open water. Many devices are being developed for exploiting wave energy. The energy extraction methods or operating principles can be categorized into three main groups (Harris Robert E. et al.): Oscillating Water Columns (OWC) Waves cause the water column to rise and fall, which alternately compresses and depressurize an air column. The energy is extracted from the resulting oscillating air flow by using a Wells turbine Overtopping Devices (OTD) Ocean waves are elevated into a reservoir above the sea level, which store the water. The energy is extracted by using the difference in water level between the reservoir and the sea by using low head turbines Wave Activated Bodies (WAB) Waves activate the oscillatory motions of body parts of a device relative to each other, or of one body part relative to a fixed reference. Primarily heave, pitch and roll motions can be identified as oscillating motions whereby the energy is extracted from the relative motion of the bodies or from the motion of one body relative to its fixed reference by using typically hydraulic systems to compress oil, which is then used to drive a generator. The wave activated bodies (WABs) can be further categorized in sub-groups describing the energy extraction by the principle motion of the floating body (heave, pitch and roll). A variety of technologies have been proposed to capture the energy from waves based on above extraction methods; Some of the technologies that have been the target of recent developmental efforts and are appropriate for the offshore applications being considered are terminators, attenuators and point absorbers (U.S. Department of the Interior, May 2006). Figure 1: Schematic drawings of WEC devices for operating principles and principal locations(Harris Robert E. et al.) The many different types of wave energy converters (WECs) can be classified in to various ways depending on their horizontal size and orientation. If the size is very small compared to the typical wavelength the WEC is called a point absorber. In contrast if the size is comparable to or larger than the typical wavelength, the WEC is known as line absorber, this can also be referred to as terminator or attenuator. A WEC is called terminator or attenuator if it is aligned along or normal to the prevailing direction of the wave crest respectively (John brook, ECOR). The relationship between the three main classifications Principal Location Operating Principle Directional Characteristic: These classifications are shown in Figure 2, presenting the possible operating principles for the location and the directional characteristics. At the shoreline the only feasible operating principles are oscillating water columns and overtopping devices, which are terminators. Figure shows that at near shore and offshore, point absorber or attenuator devices can only be WABs, whilst for terminator devices all three categories of the operating principles are possible. OWCs and OTDs are ‘static’ energy converters of the terminator kind. As a result their mooring has to be stiff, restraining modes of motions but allowing for adjustment towards a parallel wave approach and for tidal ranges. The station keeping requirements for the mooring of wave activated bodies can be either static or dynamic. Figure 2: Possible operating principles for the principal location and directional characteristic 3.1 Attenuators Attenuators are long multi-segment floating structures oriented parallel to the direction of the wave travel. The differing heights of waves along the length of the device causes flexing where the segments connect, and this flexing is connected to hydraulic pumps or other converters (U.S. Department of the Interior, May 2006). 3.2 Point Absorbers Point absorbers have a small horizontal dimension compared with the vertical dimension and utilize the rise and fall of the wave height at a single point for WEC (Harris Robert E. et al.). It is relatively small compared to the wave length and is able to capture energy from a wave front greater than the physical dimension of the absorber (James, 2007). The efficiency of a terminator or attenuator device is linked to their principal axis being, according, parallel or orthogonal to the incoming wave crest. The point absorber does not have a principal wave direction and is able to capture energy from waves arriving from any direction. As a consequence the station keeping for the terminator and attenuator has to allow the unit to weathervane into the predominant wave direction, but this is not necessary for the point absorber (Harris Robert E. et al.). 3.3 Terminators A Terminator has its principal axis parallel to the incident wave crest and terminates the wave. These devices extend perpendicular to the direction of wave travel and capture or reflect the power of the wave. The reflected and transmitted waves determine the efficiency of the device (Harris Robert E. et al.). These devices are typically installed onshore or near shore; however, floating versions have been designed for offshore applications. (U.S. Department of the Interior, May 2006). There are mainly two types in Terminator WEC. 3.3.1 Oscillating Water Columns (OWC) The oscillating water column (OWC) is a form of terminator in which water enters through a subsurface opening into a chamber with air trapped above it. The wave action causes the captured water column to move up and down like a piston to force the air through an opening connected to a turbine (U.S. Department of the Interior May 2006). The device consists essentially of a floating or (more usually) bottom-fixed structure, whose upper part forms an air chamber and whose immersed part is open to the action of the sea. The reciprocating flow of air displaced by the inside free surface motion drives an air turbine mounted on the top of the structure. 3.3.1.1 Efficiency of Oscillating Water Column (OWC) The efficiency of oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy devices are particularly affected by flow oscillations basically for two reasons. (1) Because of intrinsically unsteady (reciprocating) flow of air displaced by the oscillating water free surface. (2) Because of increasing the air flow rate, above a limit depending on, and approximately proportional to, the rotational speed of the turbine, is known to give rise to a rapid drop in the aerodynamic efficiency and in the power output of the turbine. A method which has been proposed to partially circumvent this problem consists in controlling the pitch of the turbine rotor blades in order to prevent the instantaneous angle of incidence of the relative flow from exceeding the critical value above which severe stalling occurs at the rotor blades (see Gato and FalcaËÅ"o, 1991). Although considered technically feasible (Salter, 1993) this has never been implemented at full scale owing to mechanical difficulties. Alternately, the flow rate through the turbine can be prevented from becoming excessive by equipping the device with air valves. Two different schemes can be envisaged, in the first one, the valves are mounted between the chamber and the atmosphere in parallel with the turbine (by-pass or relief valves, on or near the roof of the air chamber structure) and are made to open (by active or passive control) in order to prevent the overpressure (or the under pressure) in the chamber to exceed a limit which is defined by the aerodynamic characteristics of the turbine at its instantaneous speed. In the second scheme a valve is mounted in series with the turbine in the duct connecting the chamber and the atmosphere. Excessive flow rate is prevented by partially closing the valve. In both schemes, the air flow through the turbine is controlled at the expense of energy dissipation at the valves. Theoretically the two methods, if properly implemented, are equivalent from the point of view of limiting the flow rate through the turbine. However, the resulting pressure changes in the chamber are different (reduction and increase in pressure oscillations in the first and second cases, respectively). Consequently the hydrodynamic process of energy extraction from the waves is differently modified by valve operation in the two control methods. The main purpose of this work is to analyse theoretically the performance of an OWC wave energy device when valves are used to limit the flow through the turbine. Both schemes are considered and compared: a valve (or a set of valves) mounted in parallel with the turbine (by-pass or relief valve) or a valve mounted in the turbine duct. The hydrodynamic analysis is done in the time domain for regular as well as for irregular waves. The spring-like effect due to the compressibility of the air is taken into account and is discussed in some detail. Realistic characteristics are assumed for the turbine. Numerical results are presented for simple two-dimensional chamber geometry for whose hydrodynamic coefficients analytical expressions are known as functions of wave frequency. 3.3.2 Overtopping Devices (OTD) Overtopping devices have reservoirs that are filled by impinging waves to levels above the average surrounding ocean. The released reservoir water is used to drive hydro turbines or other conversion devices. Overtopping devices have been designed and tested for both onshore and floating offshore applications. It gathers the energy by waves overtopping into a raised reservoir, and extracting this by draining the water through low head turbines. OTD consists of three main elements: Two wave reflectors. Attached to the central platform these act to focus the incoming waves. The main platform. This is a floating reservoir with a doubly curved ramp facing the incoming waves. The waves overtop the ramp which has a variable crest freeboard 1 to 4 m and underneath the platform open chambers operate as an air cushion maintaining the level of the reservoir. Hydro turbines. A set of low head turbines converts the hydraulic head in the reservoir (Tedd James et al., 2005) 3.3.2.1 Overtopping theory The theory for modeling overtopping devices varies greatly from the traditional linear systems approach used by most other WECs. A linear systems approach may be used with overtopping devices. This considers the water oscillating up and down the ramp as the excited body, and the crest of the ramp as a highly non-linear power take off system. However due to the non-linearities it is too computationally demanding to model usefully. Therefore a more physical approach is taken. Figure 4 shows the schematic of flows for the Wave Dragon. Depending on the current wave state (HS, Tp) and the crest freeboard Rc(height of the ramp crest above mean water level, MWL) of the device, water will overtop into the reservoir Qovertopping. The power gathered by the reservoir is a product of this overtopping flow, the crest freeboard and gravity. If the reservoir is over filled when a large volume is deposited in the basin there will be loss from it Qspill. To minimize this, the reservoir level h must be kept below its maximum level hR. The useful hydraulic power converted by the turbines is the product of turbine flow Qturbine, the head across them, water density and gravity (Tedd James et al., 2005). In coastal engineering the average flow Q is converted into non dimensional form by dividing by the breadth of the device b, gravity g and the significant wave height HS: In the case of the floating OTD it has been seen that there is a dependency on the wave period. The dominant physical explanation for this is the effect of energy passing beneath the draft of the structure. Figure 6 Layout of OTD 3.3.2.2 Wave Reflector Wings One of the most distinctive aspects of the Overtopping WEC is the long slender wings mounted to the front corners of the reservoir platform. These are designed to reflect the oncoming waves towards the ramp. A wider section of wave is available to be exploited with only a moderate increase in capital cost. The overtopping volume in a wave is very dependent on the wave height; therefore by providing only a moderate increase in height, much more energy can overtop the ramp. In order to choose the correct lengths, angles, and position of these wings extensive computer modelling is used. Secondary bonuses of the presence of the wave reflector wings include: better weather-vaning performance to face the waves, lower peak mooring forces, and improved horizontal stability of the main platform. As the aft and rear mooring attachment points are separated further, the yaw of the platform is more stable. Therefore the device will not turn away from the predominant wave direction, and will also realign itself faster as when the wave direction changes (Tedd James et al., 2005). Lastly the reflectors wings act as stabilisers to the device. As they float under their own buoyancy they counteract any list of the platform. This is important as the more horizontal the platform is kept the less water is spilt and so the more efficient the device operation. 3.3.2.3 Low Head Turbines and Power Train Turbine operating conditions in a WEC are quite different from the ones in a normal hydro power plant. In the OTD, the turbine head range is typically between 1.0 and 4.0 m, which is on the lower bounds of existing water turbine experience. While there are only slow and relatively small variations of flow and head in a river hydro power plant, the strong stochastic variations of the wave overtopping call for a radically different mode of operation in the OTD. The head, being a function of the significant wave height, is varying in a range as large as 1:4, and the discharge has to be regulated within time intervals as short as ten seconds in order to achieve a good efficiency of the energy exploitation (Tedd James et al., 2005). On an unmanned offshore device, the environmental conditions are much rougher, and routine maintenance work is much more difficult to perform. Special criteria for the choice and construction of water turbines for the WEC have to be followed; it is advisable to aim for constructional simplicity rather than maximum peak efficiency. Figure 6 shows the application ranges of the known turbine types in a graph of head H vs. rotational speed nq. The specific speed nq is a turbine parameter characterizing the relative speed of a turbine, thus giving an indication of the turbines power density. Evidently, all turbine types except the Pelton and the cross flow type are to be found in a relatively narrow band running diagonally across the graph. Transgressing the left or lower border means that the turbine will run too slowly, thus being unnecessarily large and expensive. The right or upper border is defined by technological limits, namely material strength and the danger of cavitations erosion. The Pelton and the cross-flow turbine do not quite follow these rules, as they have a runner which is running in air and is only partially loaded with a free jet of water. Thus, they have a lower specific speed and lower power density. Despite its simplicity and robustness, the cross flow turbine is not very suitable for OTD applications (Tedd James et al., 2005). Figure 7 Head range of the common turbine types, Voith and Ossberger 3.3.2.4 Performance in Storms Survivability is essential, and Overtopping devices are naturally adapted to perform well in storm situations, where the wave will pass over and under the device with no potential end-stop problems. 3.3.2.5 Wave Prediction Performance of almost all wave energy converters can be improved with prediction of the incoming waves. The cost to implement would be low as the control hardware is typically in place, only the measuring system and improved control techniques need to be developed. To explain the concept behind the device a simple example can be used. If a measurement of some wavelengths ahead of the wave energy converter shows large waves passing, then at a given time later this energy will be incident on the device. The control of the device can then be altered quickly to extract this larger energy, e.g. by increasing hydraulic resistance to an oscillator’s motion allowing more energy to be captured within the stroke length, or by draining the reservoir of an overtopping device to allow for a large overtopping volume(Tedd James et al., 2005). The challenges are threefold; to implement a system for measuring the waves approaching the ramp, to accurately transform this into usable input for the control systems, and to construct new control strategies to make the best use of this. The standard approach for performing such deterministic sea-state prediction involves discrete frequency domain techniques. This is computationally intensive, as the two Fourier transforms must be made to convert from the time domain to the frequency domain and return to the time domain. 3.4 Energy Capture and Practical Limits The power captured from waves by the primary mechanical conversion (before secondary conversion to electrical power) can be related to the energy in the incoming waves over a certain width. Theoretical values have been established in some cases. For a heaving axi-symmetric body the maximum capture width is the inverse of the wave number. The capture width is often compared to the front width of the device. This width ratio can be larger than one for a point absorber with small dimensions compared to the wavelength. Viscous effects reduce efficiency. For an OWC, Wang et al. (2002) found that the capture width ratio may reach a value of 3 and above at an optimum wave period. For Pelamis, Retlzler et al. (2001) found a capture width up to 2 in regular waves and around one in random seas (Specialist Committee V.4, 2006). A continuous or a semi discrete array of wave energy converters acting as an absorbing wall perpendicular to the wave direction is called a terminator and its capture width equals the width of the device and is not related to the length of the incident waves. As the wave conditions are stochastic, the tuning parameters of the energy converters are compromises between the optimum values at various sea conditions. The capture width must be established for each sea state. Fixed devices are subject to sea level variation according to tidal effects. This is critical for fixed oscillating water columns and fixed overtopping systems whose performances are dependent on the mean sea level. The intake of an OWC must be located at an optimised design level from the mean free surface. The height of an overtopping system is also optimised for sea states occurring at a given mean sea level. Therefore, sites with minimal tide are preferred. From this point of view floating devices are more suitable. The immersion of a floating device can also be tuned with respect to the actual sea state. For instance the Wave Dragon overtopping device is partially floating on air chambers and its draught can be modified (Specialist Committee V.4, 2006). The performance of the overtopping device is sensitive to the distribution of the overtopping rate. The more variable the overtopping flow into the reservoir, the larger the capacity of the reservoir and turbines must be to achieve the same performance. 4.0 Mooring Requirements The two major requirements for a WEC mooring are to withstand the environmental and other loadings involved in keeping the device on station, and to be sufficiently cost effective so that the overall economics of the device remain viable. The following list shows the requirements that need to be considered for WEC moorings systems (Harris Robert E. et al.): The primary purpose of the mooring system is to maintain the floating structure on station within specified tolerances under normal operating load and extreme storm load conditions. The excursion of the device must not permit tension loads in the electrical transmission cable(s) and should allow for suitable specified clearance distances between devices in multiple installations. The mooring system must be sufficiently compliant to the environmental loading to reduce the forces acting on anchors, mooring lines and the device itself to a minimum; unless the stiffness of the mooring itself is an active element in the wave energy conversion principle used. All components must have adequate strength, fatigue life and durability for the operational lifetime, and marine growth and corrosion need to be considered. A degree of redundancy is highly desirable for individual devices, and essential for schemes which link several devices together. The system as a whole should be capable of lasting for 30 years or more, with replacement of particular components at no less than 5 years. The mooring must be sufficient to accommodate the tidal range at the installation location. The mooring system should allow the removal of single devices without affecting the mooring of adjacent devices. Removal of mooring lines for inspection and maintenance must be possible. The mooring must be sufficiently stiff to allow berthing for inspection and maintenance purposes. Contact between mooring lines must be avoided. The mooring should not adversely affect the efficiency of the device, and if it is part of an active control system it must also be designed dynamically as part of the overall WEC system. Revenues from WECs, in comparison to the offshore industry, are smaller and their economics more strongly linked to the location, installation costs and down time periods. The mooring system has an important impact on the economics and it is necessary to provide, at low installation cost, a reliable system that has little downtime and long intervals between maintenance. The suitability of design approaches from the offshore industry for WECs are ranked in Appendix I (Harris Robert E. et al.). 5.0 Environmental Considerations Conversion of wave energy to electrical or other usable forms of energy is generally anticipated to have limited environmental impacts. However, as with any emerging technology, the nature and extent of environmental considerations remain uncertain. The impacts that would potentially occur are also very site specific, depending on physical and ecological factors that vary considerably for potential ocean sites. As large-scale prototypes and commercial facilities are developed, these factors can be expected to be more precisely defined (U.S. Department of the Interior, May 2006). The following environmental considerations require monitoring (U.S. Department of the Interior, May 2006). Visual appearance and noiseare device-specific, with considerable variability in visible freeboard height and noise generation above and below the water surface. Devices with OWCs and overtopping devices typically have the highest freeboard and are most visible. Offshore devices would require navigation hazard warning devices such as lights, sound signals, radar reflectors, and contrasting day marker painting. However, Coast Guard requirements only require that day markers be visible for 1 nautical mile (1.8 km), and thus offshore device markings would only be seen from shore on exceptionally clear days. The air being drawn in and expelled in OWC devices is likely to be the largest source of above-water noise. Some underwater noise would occur from devices with turbines, hydraulic pumps, and other moving parts. The frequency of the noise may also be a consideration in evaluating noise impacts. Reduction in wave height from wave energy converterscould be a consideration in some settings; however, the impact on wave characteristics would generally only be observed 1 to 2 km away from the WEC device in the direction of the wave travel. Thus there should not be a significant onshore impact if the devices were much more than this distance from the shore. None of the devices currently being developed would harvest a large portion of the wave energy, which would leave a relatively calm surface behind the devices. It is estimated that with current projections, a large wave energy facility with a maximum density of devices would cause the reduction in waves to be on the order of 10 to 15%, and this impact would rapidly dissipate within a few kilometers, but leave a slight lessening of waves in the overall vicinity. Little information is available on the impact on sediment transport or on biological communities from a reduction in wave height offshore. An isolated impact, such as reduced wave height for recreational surfers, could possibly result. Marine habitatcould be impacted positively or negatively depending on the nature of additional submerged surfaces, above-water platforms, and changes in the seafloor. Artificial above-water surfaces could provide habitat for seals and sea lions or nesting areas for birds. Underwater surfaces of WEC devices would provide substrates for various biological systems, which could be a positive or negative complement to existing natural habitats. With some WEC devices, it may be necessary to control the growth of marine organisms on some surfaces. Toxic releasesmay be of concern related to leaks or accidental spills of liquids used in systems with working hydraulic fluids. Any impacts could be minimized through the selection of nontoxic fluids and careful monitoring, with adequate spill response plans and secondary containment design features. Use of biocides to control growth of marine organisms may also be a source of toxic releases. Conflict with other sea space users, such as commercial shipping and fishing and recreational boating, can occur without the careful selection of sites for WEC devices. The impact can potentially be positive for recreational and commercial fisheries if the devices provide for additional biological habitats. Installation and Decommissioning: Disturbances from securing the devices to the ocean floor and installation of cables may have negative impacts on marine habitats. Potential decommissioning impacts are primarily related to disturbing marine habitats that have adapted to the presence of the wave energy structures. 6.0 Discussions A vast number of parameters influence (and interact with) the net power production from any WEC: Overtopping, determined by Free-board (adjustable in Wave Dragons) Actual wave height Physical dimension of the converter (ramps, reflectors etc. Outlet, determined by Size of reservoir Turbine design Turbine on/off strategy Mooring system, free or restricted orientation toward waves Size of the energy converter Wave climate Energy in wave front (kW/m) Distribution of wave heights Availability Theoretical availability; Reliability, maintainability, serviceab

Alexander Popes Essay on Man -- Alexander Popes Essay on Man

Alexander Pope's Essay on Man - Man is Never Satisfied Alexander Pope's Essay on Man is a philosophical poem, written, characteristically in heroic couplet. It is an attempt to justify and vindicate the ways of God to man. It’s also a warning that man himself is not as in his pride, he seems to believe the center of all things. Eventhough not truly Christian, the essay makes implicit assumption that man has fallen and that he must seek his own salvation. Pope sets out to demonstrate that no matter how imperfect complex and disturbingly full evil the universe may appear to be, it does function in a rational fashion, according to natural laws and is in fact considered as a whole perfect work of God. It appears unsatisfy to us only because our perceptions are limited by...

Excellence in Customer Service & Organisations

BSBCUS501C Work Related Project Question 1 Excellence in customer service is the objective of all organisations wishing to be successful. However, there is often a gap between customer expectations and management perceptions of customer expectations. Organisations often fail to get close to their customers and correctly read their expectations. Other reasons for customer service problems include: not listening to or collecting information from customers * poor, or no, focus on the actual design of processes to turn identified customer needs into products and services * gaps between what the organisation intends to produce for its customers and what its systems do actually produce * gaps between what the system is intended to deliver for customers and what it actually does deliver * cost constraints, or failure to set and meet realistic performance standards, which affect what the organisation can actually deliver * poor staff attitudes, training levels and working materials * gaps be tween what salespeople promise and the actual service or product quality Source: Zeithaml, Parasuraman & Berry (1990) In approximately 2000 words comment on these statements. By implementing customer feedback strategies, the organisation will be able to discover the company's strengths and potential weaknesses, as set by the actual customer. Reacting on the feedback in a timely and appropriate manner will increase revenues and customer satisfaction.Although a customer feedback programs will be an added cost in the beginning, long term it will save money for the organisation, as it costs far more money to get new customer’s than keep a satisfied, existing customers. Understanding what customers think of the organisation will improve service delivery and quality of products leading to business sustainability. By conducting market research and analysis of customer’s needs and expectations, an understanding of what the customers think about the organisation can enhance the continuous improvement process within the organisation. Customer perceptions are a subjective assessment of actual service experiences. Customer erceptions and customer expectations play an important role in service marketing and are the standards of performance against which service experiences are compared, and often formulated in terms of what a customer believes should or will happen. Supplying reliability to the customer will have the highest influence on the customer’s perception of quality and ability to perform the promised service effectively with efficiency. Responsiveness from employee’s and the willingness of the organisation to help customers and to provide them with a prompt service to deal with their queries, concerns or complaints will determine how the customer perceives the organisation.Giving the customer assurance and inspiring trust and confidence in the product or service supplied will encourage and support the organisations objectives or goals. Showing the customer empathy, caring and individualized attention during the process will enhance the customer’s individual experience with the organisation. By not knowing what customers expect is one of the root causes of not delivering to the customer their expectations. This is the difference between customer expectations of the service and the organisations understanding of those expectations. Unwillingness to ask customers about their expectations will not address current issues, service providers may think that they know what is best for their customers but without research, information and data, they may well be misaligned.Feedback strategies may include electronic feedback mechanisms using intranet, internet and email, feedback forms, questionnaires, formal or informal surveys and interviews or databases and other controls to record and compare data over time. Market segmentation to understand the needs of the market are important. Market segmentation is the grouping of customers sharing similar requirements, expectations and demographic or psychographic profiles. Segmentation is usually done to understand the needs of customers more elaborately or distinctly. When asking customers for their input or feedback, they need to feel as if their opinions matter, they are more likely to continue supporting the organisation if they feel their feedback has been taken seriously and into consideration.Listening to the customer and acting timely on their feedback is important for the organisation, failing to understand a customer’s needs can result in widespread negative comments about the organisation and the loss of customers and potential customers. By not listening to customers and understanding what they need from a product or service will not allow the organisation to maintain its effectiveness in the market place, producing poor quality products or service and effecting overall profitability for the organisation. Each organisation needs to de velop and establish procedures, standards and guidelines for customer service requirements and communicate these to all staff. By establishing courses of action to accomplish specific goals, utilising information and data obtained through feedback will assist in identifying and acting upon the customer’s needs.These may be established through strategic or action plans that identifies the customer’s need, arranges for, and obtains resources needed to accomplish the desired goals and objectives. By collecting information and data, planning areas for improvement that will improve the final output, will increase the quality of the service or product supplied. Identifying and acting timely on these inputs will ensure a competitive edge is maintained for the organisation. Identifying existing and potential problems or issues and obtaining relevant information about the problem will ensure the specific or root cause of the problem is identified. Once this has been achieved re commendations and corrective actions can be developed and proposed for implementation.By performing a gap analysis to measure the organisations current performance against their desired outcomes can identify areas for improvement. Analysing data and quantifying the information will establish where the organisation currently is and where they need to be. Gaps may exist in various stages of the input process that affects the outcome. Poor quality raw materials or excessively priced materials will directly affect the quality and cost of the final product or service. Gaps may exist in the process and need to be identified promptly. Ensuring all customers internal and external are part of the review process ensures opportunities for improvement are identified and acted upon timely.Gaps or areas for improvement need to be identified so quality products or service can be maintained. Employee loyalty needs to be earned, rather than assumed and this is achieved through commitment and communi cation by the management team. Organisations need to express and act on a commitment to develop employee’s career objectives by introducing initiatives that make employees believe that their current job is the best path to achieving their career goals, delivering customer satisfaction and feeling valued within the workplace. By including opportunities for personal growth and investing in the professional development of people within the organisation will improve outputs.Identifying correct resources and developing well-defined career paths and conducting analyses of current practices will highlight these areas where training, mentoring, and coaching, or areas of improvement are required within the organisation. Establishing effective working relationships among team members and participating in solving problems and making decisions allows employees to be empowered and part of the process, increasing participation levels and drive to complete desired changes. Communication to employees and customers, expressing ideas and information clearly and concisely, sharing information will all assist with accomplishing the goals or vision set out. A common characteristic of successful services is teamwork. A feeling of teamwork is created when employees see other employees and management as key members of the team.The lowest-level employee must feel that management; from their immediate supervisor to the CEO of the company, cares about them and that they are a critical part of the organisation’s success. This is achieved when every employee is involved in the organisation’s decision process and committed to providing a high level of service to customers, the company and to other employees. Cost constraints can affect the quality or price of the final service or product. Good purchasing practices are integral to organisational success. Developing budgets and resource plans, managing materials, equipment or labour will create quality products for custo mers. During the planning process of resource procurement, identifying the need is the first step in the process.Organisations may be required to upgrade the current capacity of buildings or machinery used in the process to meet new orders or upgraded products. Investment funding may be necessary if new plant and facilities are needed. Skills of the workforce may need to be improved or obtained to operate new systems and produce the new product or service effectively. A raw material needs to be assessed for cost and quality as an input. If materials are too highly priced the end product would be too expensive for the consumer, equally, if the materials were of poor quality, the end product may not reach the customers expectation levels, in each case the consumer would be hesitant in purchasing the goods or product.Ensuring a timely supply of raw materials enables the organisation to supply a constant flow of service or product outputs. Healthy cash flow is essential if business is t o respond to changing demands and requirements in any production activity. Quality management of resources bring together all inputs, ensuring that these are timely and consistent that will achieve quality products and an effective, efficient workforce. Employee’s need to understand the needs of the customer and what they actually require. By understanding who the customers are, both internally and externally, and actively listening to the customers to identify their needs, the employees can then check that customer needs have been met.Proactively engaging with customers to understand their needs and gaining feedback will highlight areas for improvement. Employee attitudes can affect an organisation's growth and profitability. Early detection and resolution of employee attitude problems can minimize the effect of poor performance and strained relationships within the workplace. Recent organisational changes may have contributed to changes in employee attitudes that may not ha ve clearly described the role requirements. Employee’s attitudes may have changed based on the availability of resources necessary to perform their job functions or because of poor relationships with supervisors and managers. In some cases, the employee's job functions may be too challenging for their skill set.Training informally or formally utilising mentoring, coaching or external facilitation may be required. To perform their job role according to the organisational standards, employees must have the correct equipment and resources. The equipment needs to be in good condition and the employees must have the knowledge and training to properly use the equipment to enhance the quality of their work. Retaining customers through effective customer service enables easier growth, indirectly and directly by sustaining healthier volumes and margins, and by business expansion from word-of-mouth referrals. An improved level of customer retention through effective customer service al so improves staff morale, motivation and an increased productivity.Improved employee morale and motivation resulting from reducing customer attrition also positively benefits staff retention and turnover. Improving customer service, especially empowering and listening to customer service staff, offers many organisations a bigger return on investment. Employees who follow established procedures and guidelines for customer service and who are committed to customer needs, presenting themselves in a polite manner even under situations of high pressure can quickly attend to the customer’s requirements. Understanding the level of service required ensuring quality procedures are followed in providing services and taking corrective actions where possible to meet the customer’s needs will re-enforce the organisations commitment to service quality.Providing frequent and clear concise communication from management on what is expected and how the service is to be performed will su pport established policies and procedures. Providing employees with constructive feedback to help them understand how the service is to be performed and what management expects from the service, will provide employees with product and service knowledge so they can perform their jobs in a professional manner. Training employees in the correct methods of performing the service and how to communicate effectively with customers, supervisors and with other employees will enhance professionalism within the organisation.The quality of service delivers results in customer satisfaction and their retention, as it reinforces the perception that the value of the service received is greater than the price paid for it. Promises are made to consumers by organisations advertising using sales promotions and sales staff to promote products and services. These promises may be explicitly stated or they may be implied that the organisation can offer these services. If the organisation does not provide t he service that is promised, there is a gap between what customers expect and the service received. To increase customer exposure, organisations are tempted to make promises that may be difficult or even impossible to deliver.Communication through these channels tends to raise customer expectations and set certain standards to assess the service in the minds of customers. Any discrepancy between promised and actual service tends to broaden the customer gap. The tendency to over promise increases with pressure to achieve greater profits or to meet competitive claims. In both cases, severe damage to the organisations image can occur since it is unlikely the organisation can fulfil the service as promised. Each organisation should ensure that what they say they can offer, they will give to the customer as promised. This forms the backbone of the service bundle established by the organisation to achieve expected customer service.